


Bring Me Back a Star

by how_about_no



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Love Confessions, M/M, Oblivious Louis, One Shot, i guess?, in the band, liam and niall ship it, so does neil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-20
Updated: 2015-07-20
Packaged: 2018-04-10 05:31:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4379150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/how_about_no/pseuds/how_about_no
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What the hell is he doing? He just woke Harry up in the middle of the night because someone on twitter told him to live in the moment. Harry whom he has not properly spoken to in over a year. Harry who Louis misses like hell but might not miss him back. </p><p>No. Come on. Louis is living in the moment. He’s sure as hell not backing out now. Girl on twitter, Louis will not let you down.</p><p>or</p><p>The one where Louis realises Harry is in love with him before he realises he is in love with Harry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cathyelisabeth1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathyelisabeth1/gifts).



Everyone dreams of being famous. Louis sure as hell did, practising interviews in his head in every day dream, ‘ _So, how do you feel about the fact that everyone in the world loves you?’ ‘It was only a matter of time, Ellen.’_. He sang in the shower, imagining a crowd in front of him screaming the lyrics back. Spatulas became microphones, pavements became red carpets, and mirrors became TV cameras. All Louis ever wanted was to be recognised when he walked down the street and praised for his new album, _‘Oh my god I just love you so much!’ ‘I know, darling. I am amazing aren’t I?’_

It isn’t all it has scraped up to be.

The intrusive questions, ‘ _So, who is Larry Stylinson?’ ‘Um…’_ , the cameras in your face and shouting paparazzi _‘Is it true you fuck Harry in the ass?!’ ‘Louis, Louis! Tell us who tops!’_ , the people who use him for his fame _‘Hey, I know we haven’t talked since high school, but I miss you, man!’._

The only plus sides are the fans and the boys. Though the fans are growing restless with the constant air of lies and vagueness that Modest has created for the band. Then the boys are growing apart. Liam has started spending more time with his girlfriend, Zayn up and left, Niall is discovering himself and those aren’t the worst. The worst is Harry. Louis has noticed that the boy is closing in on himself when he is around the band. He keeps quiet and only speaks when spoken to, then when he goes on stage he interacts with the fans like his old self. He goes to parties and hangs out with other people the same as he always has, but he’s different when all of the boys are together. Louis would blame it on Zayn leaving, but it has been happening for far longer than that.

They used to be so close and Louis can’t help but feel like he’s losing his best friend.

It’s a Sunday evening and Louis is sat in his hotel room on his own, feeling alone in every sense. He sends out a tweet.

‘ _Hey , what do you guys do when you’re on your own and super bored ??’_

The replies are almost immediate.

_‘Go see harry!!!!!’_

_‘Im sure harry will entertain you <3 <3 <3 <3’_

_‘GO SEE HARRY ASDDFGHJLLK I CAN’T EVEN’_

_‘Come over to mine ;)’_

Louis wrinkles his nose at the last one and closes the app. He can’t just ‘go see Harry’, they haven’t randomly shown up to the other’s hotel room in over a year. He bites his lip and tries to see if anyone on twitter has come up with better suggestions yet.

‘ _Take your own advice and live for the moment!! Everything else is uncertain, Louis!!’_

Louis sighs. For the last two years he has constantly been overthinking his actions around Harry or towards him because of management telling them to ‘tone it down’ after Larry Stylinson rumours became huge. Every time he wanted to snuggle into the other boy, even in private, he thought over it again and again until the moment had passed. Maybe he should start living in the moment again.

Before he knows it he is stood in front of Harry’s hotel room with his knuckle on the door.

“ _Shit.”_ He should’ve thought this through. He’s about to turn and scamper away but he’s stopped by the door creaking open.

“Louis? What’re you-?” Harry starts but Louis doesn’t let him finish.

“Follow me.” He rushes out before walking away down the corridor, really hoping Harry would blindly follow like he used to.

“What? Louis!” Harry shouts after him. Louis carries on walking. He hears some muttering before a door slams and footsteps are running towards him. He can’t help the happy tilt of his lips because Harry isn’t as different as Louis thought he was. Harry finally reaches him as Louis is stopping in front of the lift, pulling a hoodie over his broad shoulders with a confused smile.

“We’re going for a walk, Harold.” Louis tells him.

“A walk?” Harry asks, his smile widening. Louis just smiles in response when the lift dings, opening for them. He gestures for Harry to go in first, whom does so with a little curtsy that makes Louis laugh.

When the doors close is when Louis realises he does not have a plan. What the hell is he doing? He just woke Harry up in the middle of the night because someone on twitter told him to live in the moment. Harry whom he has not properly spoken to in over a year. Harry who Louis misses like hell but might not miss him back.

No. _Come on._ Louis is living in the moment. He’s sure as hell not backing out now. Girl on twitter, Louis will not let you down.

“Are you going to tell me why… or?” Harry rocks on the balls of his feet and Louis snaps out of his reverie.

“Honestly? I don’t really know.” Harry’s smile twitches slightly and his eyes dim. It’s something Louis shouldn’t notice, but he does. He notices and he wants to fix it immediately. He’s not going to overthink it. “I guess I’ve missed you? I mean, we haven’t really talked for a while so… I want to talk. I want to catch up.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I want to hang out, like old times.” Louis thinks this is the most he has revealed to Harry about how he feels in a long time. Maybe it’s the most he has revealed to himself too.

The lift doors slide open. Louis walks out and heads for the door, presuming Harry is following him.

“Hey,” Harry says when they’re walking side by side again, “I’ve missed you too.” His smile is back full force and Louis thinks he can see some dimple. It makes him smile too.

They’re in New York right now, so the streets aren’t completely empty. It’s unlikely they’ll get recognised or followed, but Louis puts up his hood anyway just in case. Harry does the same which is probably a good idea as he is far more famous than Louis is. It’s strange that people see Harry as this big star when Louis still sees him as the curly haired cherub from back on X Factor. It kind of hurts to look back on those days and see how much has changed. How much Harry has changed, and how much Louis has.

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Harry comments, looking up at the lights around them.

“What’s weird?” Louis’ gaze is on the other boy as he catalogues all the things about him that he hasn’t taken the time to notice before. Harry’s eyes glitter when he looks at something he likes, his mouth opens wide when he smiles, even with his hands in his hoodie pockets his body just screams content. Louis would like to think it is simply his company that does that.

“Having to hide. Like, we both automatically put up our hoods right now. No one else would have that as their second nature, yeah? It’s odd that we’ve grown so used to fame that it’s just reflex to hide.”

“I’ve never thought of it like that before,” Louis replies, and he hasn’t, “I guess I’ve sort of detached myself from it all.”

“What do you mean?” Harry asks curiously, peering at Louis through the hair that has fallen onto his face.

“I mean, like, I’ve got two separate Louis’ in my mind. There’s famous Louis, who’s huge and boisterous and sassy,” He smiles self-deprecatingly, “Then there’s just Louis, who’s a kid from Doncaster who got lucky.”

“I think I’m myself all the time. I just have fun and don’t think about what I’m doing, you know? We’re not going to be famous forever and I’m going to take full advantage of the time I’ve got.”

“Wow,” Louis snorts, “You’re taking it a lot better than I am.”

“Yeah,” Harry shrugs, “But just so you know, I like just Louis far better than famous Louis.” He says it like it’s a secret, leaning in slightly with that cheeky smile that hasn’t changed since he was 16.

“Thanks.” Louis breathes and it is much fonder than he means it to be. Harry’s eyes are glittering again when he looks at Louis. There’s something else there too that Louis can’t quite decipher, but then Harry is blinking and looking away so he can’t delve any further into that train of thought.

They walk in comfortable silence for a while and Louis tries to think of things to ask Harry. There are so many things he doesn’t know and so many things he wants to find out, but what if Harry doesn’t want to answer? They aren’t nearly as close as they used to be so it might be too far for Louis to try and pry. He tries to find something that is safe ground for him to ask. Then again, this whole night is about not overthinking so why is Louis overthinking this? He should just ask the first thing that comes to his mind.

“How accurate are the papers?” Well done, brain. That makes practically no sense.

“Not at all,” Harry laughs, “Sometimes I read them just for entertainment, see what stupid things they’ve said about me this week.”

“This hour, more like,” Louis chuckles, “The amount of stories I see about you is ridiculous. Boy do you get around, Harry.”

“I’m dating all of my friends, haven’t you heard?” Harry beams at him and knocks their shoulders together.

“I’ve heard many times, young man. Do I need to give you the talk?”

“Please don’t!” Harry brings his hands up to his face with an adorable giggle, “My mum has that covered, thanks.”

“Your mum gave you the talk?” Louis squawks before lowering his voice because a couple across the road were looking at them, “I thought that was a myth.”

“Well, my mum likes to stick to stereotypes.” Harry says exasperatedly, lowering his hands again.

“Ah, womanizer Harry Styles getting the _talk_ from his mum. I can see the headlines now.” Louis waves his hand in the air in a dramatic gesture and Harry pulls it down.

“I’m so far from a womanizer it is unreal.”

“So you’re telling me you don’t get laid on a regular basis?” Louis raises his eyebrows. It feels like old times, the playful banter they used to have when everything was simpler.

“Okay, I do. But that makes me even less of womanizer.” Harry states, looking a little nervous.

“How?” Louis asks incredulously.

“Because they’re men, Louis.”

“Oh,” _Oh._ That’s new, “Fair enough.”

“Yeah.” Silence falls again.

“How did you know?” Louis finally breaks it.

“Know what?” They’re walking close now, shoulders brushing every once in a while, a reassuring heat in the cold night.

“That you liked guys,” Louis clarifies, not really sure why he’s asking, “How did you know?”

Harry studies him for a moment like he’s searching for something before looking to the sky.

“I fell in love with a boy.” His voice cracks slightly and Louis suddenly wants to punch whoever this boy is. They clearly hurt Harry in some way and Louis feels his protective side rear its ugly head.

“Who?” He tries to ask softly into the fragile atmosphere.

“Well,” Harry sighs, looking back down at Louis with a sad smile, “It doesn’t really matter now, does it? He didn’t love me back.”

“How do you know that?” Louis pulls a face. How could anyone not love Harry? He’s beautiful and funny and has a heart of gold. Louis wishes he could go find this boy and tell him all the things that are amazing about Harry and convince him that he was wrong to reject him.

“He made it kind of obvious,” Harry shrugs and scuffs his shoe as he walks, “He started avoiding me and acting all weird. I must’ve made it too obvious and scared him off.” He laughs lightly, trying to break the tension.

“Anyone would be lucky to have your affection, Harry, whether they loved you back or not,” Louis searches out Harry’s eyes and eventually gets the other boy to make eye contact, “You’re a wonderful person, don’t beat yourself up about some boy who was too stupid to see it.”

“I guess,” There’s a contemplative look on his face as he looks at Louis, and there’s that glitter again, “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious, I guess.” Louis breaks their weird staring contest when his stomach curls with an unfamiliar warmth, “Wanna sit down?” They’ve come to a little park with benches surrounding it. Louis leads the way to the one closest to them when Harry nods.

“Do you ever feel tired?” Harry mumbles into the silence, looking at the empty park with an unfamiliar look in his eyes.

“I’m always tired.” Louis scoffs.

“No,” Harry shakes his head and sits up straighter, “I mean, like, of the whole thing. Being an icon. Having people constantly coming up to you asking for something, or people expecting stuff from you constantly.”

“Yeah, I get that.” Louis agrees, and he does get it. The screams can sometimes get deafening and the lights get blinding. Every once in a while Louis wants to run away and escape from it all. Sometimes he wants to go home and get a hug from his mum without cameras flashing at him and asking him things that not even his closest friends would know the answer to. It’s so tempting to disappear, “We should run away.”

“Together?” Harry looks at him with small smile playing on his lips.

“Why not?” Louis rests his head on Harry’s shoulder, “Let’s run away together and never come back to the flashing lights and intrusive people.”

“That sounds great, Lou.” _Lou,_ the nickname trickles through his body and settles in his stomach, making Louis sigh and nuzzle further into the other boy. Harry puts his arm around Louis’ shoulders, pulling him even closer, and Louis wonders why they’ve been missing out on this for so long.

“Harry?” Louis whispers into the quiet of the night.

“Yeah?” Harry breathes, just as quiet.

“Where have you been?”

“What do you mean?” Louis closes his eyes, not wanting the comfort to end but needing to know the answer.

“It feels like you’re not really here anymore. Like you’re off somewhere else in your own head.”

“I guess,” Harry takes a deep breath and Louis feels it where is head is rested in the crook of his shoulder, “I guess I felt like I needed to distance myself.”

“But why?” Louis sits up so he can see Harry’s face, wanting to know what’s going through his head. He doesn’t move away too much, so they’re only a few inches apart, Louis staring at him imploringly.

“I had to change.” Harry whispers, broken.

“You didn’t.” Louis insists, grabbing Harry’s hand.

“I did,” Harry squeezes his hand and looks down at where they’re joined, “Everything was getting overwhelming and it’s easier to separate yourself from the problem than solve it.”

“I’ll help you solve it, then.” Louis offers and Harry breathes a laugh.

“You can’t, Lou.”

“I can,” Louis goes on, growing more determined, “Whatever it is, Harry, I swear I can help you face it. We’re a team, remember? Since the beginning it’s been you and me against the world. You and me, Harry and Louis, forever. It doesn’t matter that I haven’t been the best friend in the world over the last year but that’s over now, I promise. I’m here for you, Haz. I always have been and I always will be.”

“Yeah?” Harry’s eyes are glassy and he’s looking at Louis like he’s seeing him for the first time. It feels the same the other way round too.

“Remember when I asked you to get me a star?” Harry nods, “You still haven’t got me one. And you’re not getting rid of me until that’s possible. So, sorry, but you’re stuck with me. I’m helping.” He finishes with a determined look and Harry smiles wider than he has all night.

“You’re amazing.” He says in awe.

“I know.” Louis tilts his head with a fake smug smile, “Now let’s get back, you need your beauty sleep.”

“Hey.” Harry slaps Louis’ shoulder playfully.

“I’m kidding!” Louis laughs, “You’re beautiful enough,” He stands up and holds his hand out for the other boy, “Let’s go.”

Harry takes his hand and they slowly make their way back to the hotel. They exchange quiet words and small laughs as they walk, appreciating the time they have alone together because it might be the last for a long while. 

_“Do you think we’re gunna be best friends forever, Lou?”_

_“There’s no doubt in my mind, Haz. You’re stuck with me, I hope you’re happy with that decision.”_

_“Never been happier.”_

Louis smiles at the memory, squeezing Harry’s hand and feeling him squeeze back. They used to do this all the time, hold hands. Whenever they were out it’d be a laugh because of all the Larry shippers out there. Then they got used to it, they started to find it comforting to have that anchor when they feel like they’re going to float away. Before concerts on their first tour, Louis would shake with nerves and Harry would grab his hand, whispering how it was going to be alright and how Louis was brilliant. Any moment when they felt alone or scared, one would grab the other’s hand and it would be like an exhale, releasing the built up stress of the day.

“I really have missed you, you know.” Harry tells him when they reach his hotel room. Louis releases his hand and sticks his in his pockets with a smile.

“I’ve missed you too. Promise you’ll stay? Don’t go off somewhere again?” Louis feels his features soften as he speaks, hoping for the life of him that Harry promises.

“I promise,” Harry holds out his pinkie, and Louis links his to it, “I’m not going anywhere, Lou.”

Just as Harry is turning to go into his room, Louis pulls him into a hug and turns his face into the boy’s neck. Harry wraps his arms around Louis’ waist as Louis wraps his around Harry’s shoulders. He ends up on his tiptoes but Louis doesn’t really care, he’s too busy appreciating the warmth that is familiar and slightly different at the same time. It’s the same Harry, but his smell is muskier, older. He’s definitely taller and his shoulders are broader. He’s still the same Harry though. He’s still Louis’ Harry.

“See you tomorrow, Haz.” Louis wipes his eyes as he pulls away, finding Harry doing the same.

“See you tomorrow.”

 

Louis wakes up with crick in his back and a smile on his face. He has _Harry_ back. Him and Harry actually _talked_ about _real stuff_ that _means_ something last night. It reminds him of one night on the X Factor when Harry couldn’t sleep.

_“Lou? You awake?” Harry had whispered from his bunk below Louis._

_“Yeah,” Louis replied, half muffled into the pillow, “W’assup?”_

_“Can’t sleep. My tummy feels weird.” Louis thought it was amazing how Harry made himself sound like a child._

_“M’kay. ‘m comin’, Haz.” Louis climbed groggily down the ladder and slipped under the covers with the younger boy without thinking. It just seemed natural. Harry shuffled to make room and soon enough they were lying facing each other, only able to see outlines in the darkness._

_“Are you nervous?” Harry whispered after a few moments of silence._

_“Of course I’m nervous.” Louis replied like it was obvious, because of course it was. Louis was absolutely terrified. He had next to no confidence in his singing skills and constantly felt undermined by the other boys because of his stupid behaviour. Performing in front of the judges again was one of the last things he wanted to do the next day._

_“You don’t seem like it.” Harry mumbles, shuffling slightly closer._

_“I’m good at hiding it. There has to be someone to hold everyone’s hand and tell them it’s going to be alright.” Louis shrugged like it was nothing._

_“Can’t we just hold each other’s hands and reassure each other?” Harry, oh sweet and lovely Harry, suggested._

_“’Course we can,” Louis replied with a fond smile, already loving the boy even though they had only known each other for just over a month, “Gimme.” He entwined their fingers and stroked his thumb over the back of Harry’s hand._

_“I think I’m gunna try go to sleep now.”_

_“I’ll stay here with you, love.” Louis settled into his half of the pillow._

Then something happened that Louis has only just remembered.

_“I love you, Louis.” Harry breathed into the darkness._

_“Love you too, Haz.” Louis said like it was nothing._

_“No, I mean-” Harry sighed, “Nevermind.”_

Louis’ smile falls. What was Harry going to say?

Suddenly all of the cogs in Louis’ brain start whirring and churning, pulling out information that Louis has simply dismissed before:

_“I fell in love with a boy.”_

_“You can just sit and like, admire what he’s like.”_

_“I’d date Louis.”_

_“Someone who’s nice.”_

_“Someone who’s funny.”_

_“When you like someone it just kind of happens.” “Me and Louis always said we wanted to move in together, it just kind of happened.”_

_“Never been happier.”_

_“I love you, Louis.”_

“Oh my god,” Louis breathes, “ _Oh my god!”_

Then he passes out.

He wakes up again when there’s a knock on his door.

“Lou?” It’s Harry. _Oh god,_ it’s Harry! “You missed breakfast so I just wanted to check you aren’t dead.”

“Not dead!” Louis shouts a little louder than he means to. Give him a break, he’s just realised his best friend is in love with him, he’s allowed to be a little hysterical.

“Good,” Harry laughs. _Is he laughing because it was funny or because he’s in love with me?_ Louis thinks manically. He leaps out of bed and pulls on a pair of jeans and a T Shirt before scrambling to open the door.

“Morning, Haz.” He tries to say calmly but probably fails if the weird look Harry is currently giving him is anything to go by.

“Actually,” Harry looks at his watch, “It’s 1:15.”

“Good afternoon, then. Aren’t rehearsals in half an hour? We should really get going. Oh, wait! I forgot a thing! I’ll meet you there, okay, bye!” Louis shuts the door before Harry can reply.

“Bye, then.” Harry says quietly before there are the tell-tale thuds of those ridiculous boots, letting Louis know he’s walking away down the hall. Louis rests his forehead against the closed door and takes a deep breath.

“Oh. My. God.” He groans.

He has been so overwhelmed with the fact that Harry is in love with him that he completely forgot about what else Harry revealed the night before. Louis had wanted to punch _himself_ in the face. To be honest, he still does. Harry was so fucking _hurt_ over this whole thing. Why hadn’t he told Louis? It would’ve saved him so much heart ache and pain. Louis suddenly feels incredibly guilty for distancing himself over the last year or so, knowing now that that made Harry think he’d scared him off. Louis was such a dick. At least he can fix it now. Even if Harry is in love with him, that doesn’t mean they can’t be friends. Louis can be subtle.

“Nice of you to show up.” Niall shouts from across the stage when Louis eventually makes his way to rehearsals.

“I’m just a giver, Niall.” Louis says, spreading his arms.

“Want to _give_ me a tenner?”

“Niall, you are literally a millionaire.” Harry comments from where he is sat with his legs dangling off the stage and his head tipped back so he can see them. _Keep it cool, Louis._

“Another tenner wouldn’t hurt, though.” Niall reasons.

“You probably just made another tenner,” Liam tells them, “And another, just now. Oh!” He looks up with a fake frown, “And another.”

“Shut the fuck up Liam with your smarts.”

“ _His_ smarts?” Louis scoffs, “I’m the only high school graduate on this stage.”

“What about that guy?” Niall points to a random techie that is fiddling with something on the other side of the stage.

“You mean Neil,” Harry nods, “Hey, Neil! Did you graduate from high school?!” It’s so typical for Harry to learn the names of every crew member at the concert and Louis can’t help the little fond smile he sends the boy’s way. Neil nods an affirmative and gives a thumbs up as well.

“There you have it, Louis. You’re proven wrong, once again, by the amazing Niall Horan.” Niall bows.

“Technically it was Harry. You should learn people’s names in order to use them as a point in an argument.” Louis makes his way to Harry and holds up his hand for a high five.

“Hell yes!” Harry reaches up and only hits the edge of Louis’ hand but looks absolutely ecstatic about it so Louis doesn’t ask for a retry. After all, Harry is in love with him so he should be happy with anything. Maybe Louis should test the limits.

“Harry, love, will you get me a bottle of water?” Harry immediately stands up and goes over to the water cooler and grabs a bottle, coming back to Louis, smiling from ear to ear, “Thanks.” Harry plops back down to where he was sat and Louis sits next to him, looking out to where there will soon be thousands of screaming fans.

“They must’ve got couples counselling or somethin’.” Niall mutters to Liam behind them and Louis ignores him.

“I’m just happy that period is over. So awkward.” Liam replies and Louis frowns.

“Extremely awkward. We shall now refer to it as the dark ages whenever we speak of it.”

“Sounds like a plan, mate.” Liam chuckles.

“Hey,” Harry speaks up next to him and Louis feels himself relax again, “Did you have a good night’s sleep?”

“The best.” Louis smiles at him, deciding to put Liam and Niall’s conversation in the file in his brain titled ‘STIAL (Stuff to Interrogate about later)’ and appreciate that fact that he has his best friend back, in love with him or not.

 

Louis always get nervous before concerts. It doesn’t matter how many hours they spend rehearsing or how ‘professional’ Louis may be, his stomach goes in knots just before they go on stage. He usually has to calm himself down, since he and Harry hadn’t talked much for a while, but today was different. Harry grabs his hand just before they have to run on and gives it a reassuring squeeze, smiling slightly as he looks forward. Louis should feel weird out about it because Harry is _in love with him_ but instead of freaking out he just squeezes back.

“Good luck!” He shouts to the other lads when the man stood off to the side of them starts counting down on his fingers.

“Let’s nail this bitch!” Niall shouts back and then they’re running on. It’s like a brand new experience every single time, entering the stage. It’s a new country, new faces, new set, so it’s a new experience.

Louis lets go of Harry’s hand at the very last second and wouldn’t be surprised if there was a picture of his and Harry’s hands inches apart on tumblr later. He runs on and throws his hands in the air, cheering along with the crowd. He didn’t bother with the quiff today, opting instead for his usual bed-head-but-looks-good look.

The crowd screams and chants and Louis feels so alive. The opening for clouds starts and Louis smiles as he feels the adrenaline pump through his veins. He lied earlier, performing is definitely one of the perks of being famous.

Louis manages to get through most of the show normally, not going out of his way to see where Harry is but still aware of how much space is between them. He’s not sure whether it’s because he wants to be farther away or closer, but during concerts his brain is in famous Louis mode so there’s no overthinking. It’s kind of freeing.

It’s when they get to Happily that Louis starts to falter. Harry wrote this song, so that means it’s personal to him.

Suddenly the lyrics mean so much more.

When Harry sings his parts Louis can’t help but look at him in a completely different light. Harry meets his eyes at one point and smiles. Louis smiles back but it must not look right because Harry’s eyes turn questioning. Louis turns away before he starts shouting ‘THIS SONG IS ABOUT ME! THIS SONG IS ABOUT ME!’

He contains himself after that until they’re all at their microphone stands and Harry is standing next to Louis. He’s standing so _close_ and Louis didn’t realise how much heat radiated from Harry until now. He puts it down to the awkwardness over Harry being in love with him.

The opening chords to 18 play out into the stadium and Louis taps his foots to the beat, waiting for Harry to start singing. When he does, Louis really listens. For the first time in a long time Louis appreciates the beauty that is Harry Styles’ voice. It’s deep and gravelly, but oh so soft at the same time. Louis would refer to it as chocolate, but it’s like the kind that has chili in it. Soft and rich, but it has that extra kick that makes it unique. To Louis, that describes Harry in a nutshell.

He listens to the lyrics too, the poetic nature of a young romance that was doomed from the start. That’s how Louis has always seen it, anyway. But now it sort of sounds like two people who have known each other for years, and been in love for that long, but didn’t know it. They didn’t realise they were meant to be together until much later, a long way from the playground. It’s like the song is looking back on time that has passed, where those two people were unaware of their feelings. They have loved each other since they were 18, but didn’t think they did.

The new meaning dances in Louis’ mind and on his tongue. By the time it is his solo, his whole body has come to a grinding halt.

_“And I’d marry you, Harry.”_

Liam is looking at him concernedly.

_“It’s very distracting.”_

Niall tries to get the crowd to sing instead.

_“I’d take Harry for the night.”_

_“You’re on a whole other level of charmer.”_

_“I’m slowly being seduced by your curls.”_

_“Bring me back a star when you’re up there with them, will you?”_

Harry’s hand is on his shoulder with a feather light touch.

_“Love you too, Haz.”_

“Oh my god.” Louis breathes, accidentally into the microphone.

“Louis?” Harry whispers, quiet enough that the microphones don’t pick it up.

“I’m fine.” Louis smiles, trying to get himself together, trying not to get lost in the eyes that are suddenly so much more beautiful and yet the same.

“You sure?” Louis nods and shoos Harry back to his own microphone. Niall and Liam have continued the song, dueting beautifully. Harry and Louis join in on the last few lines and they harmonise to make up for Louis’ fuck up.

Louis is in love with Harry. Louis is in love with Harry and _Harry loves him too._

18 is about Louis and Harry. Louis is going to _kill_ Ed Sheeran.

He finishes the concert with a lot of concentration and will power. It’s difficult to not walk over to Harry and kiss the life out of him then punch him in the god damn face for keeping this to himself for so long. He waits until they have done their bows and finished their encores, then ran off stage and continued to walk down the corridor to their dressing rooms.

“Harry Edward Styles.” Louis grits out, feeling mad and affectionate at the same time. Harry stops walking and turns to Louis, looking slightly scared by Louis’ tone. Niall and Liam stop walking too, having been farther down the corridor than Harry and Louis. Louis ignores them.

“Yes?” Harry asks timidly.

“You are a fucking prick!” Harry flinches when Louis stalks forward, pointing a finger at the boy’s chest, “You have been in love with me for years, _fucking years!_ And you didn’t fucking tell me! ‘I fell in love with a boy’ what kind of bullshit was that?! If there was any opportunity to fucking tell me, that was fucking it, Styles! I cannot believe you were planning on just moping and nursing a broken heart when I was right there! I was right there, Harry! You could’ve fucking told me! For the last year I’ve been distancing myself because of management and what the fans think about us, because I thought it might make you feel uncomfortable. And the _whole fucking time,_ you thought I was pushing you away! For God’s sake, Harry, you could’ve just talked to me! Said ‘Hey, Louis, I’m kind of in love with you please could you tell me if I’m scaring you away or if you feel the same maybe’, _Jesus!_ You’re an idiot! I have loved you since I was 18! Oh, I bet you talked to Sheeran, didn’t you? You talked to him and then he wrote a fucking song about us! Little things? Was that one too? _Oh my god!_ Don’t let me go! That was about me, wasn’t it? My fucking Lord, I am going to kill you, Harry Styles. I am going to fucking kill you!”

“Um, I’m kind of confused.” Harry says helplessly.

“Shut the fuck up.” Louis grunts before pulling Harry in.

“That couple counselling really worked a treat.” Louis vaguely hears Niall comment.

“The dark ages are well and truly over.” Liam sighs contentedly and Louis pulls away from Harry, leaving a trail of spit between their mouths that they both giggle at.

“Um,” Louis turns to see Neil stood with a clip board behind them, “You guys have to be at the bus in half an hour.”

“Oh. Alright.” Louis still has his arms around Harry’s neck and Harry’s hands are still rested on Louis’ hips. Everyone is silent for a moment before Neil clears his throat.

“Congrats, by the way. To be honest, I thought you two were already together but I appreciated the angsty rant, there.”

“Neil,” Niall smiles, “I like you. I’m gunna keep you.” He holds out his fist and Neil bumps it with a laugh.

“You kids have fun, I’ve got to go coordinate the clean-up.” Neil waves and walks away down the corridor.

“I like Neil.” Harry comments.

“Me too,” Louis agrees, “But I like you more.” He smiles before leaning in again.

It’s good to have his bes- no- _boy_ friend back.

 


	2. Epilogue

“Harry! Wake up!” Louis shakes the man’s shoulder and eventually he grunts awake.

“Wassat?” He mumbles.

“Harry, I wrote Strong about you! I thought it was completely imaginary but it was about  _you,_ Harry.”

“Louis?”

“Yes?”

“Shut up and go back to sleep.”

Louis smiles. He loves this boy far too much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!
> 
> Visit me on tumblr stilesmakesmestrong or my fic specific blog how-about-no-ao3


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